Samaritaine, a haute couture renovation
The history of La Samaritaine began in 1870 when Ernest Cognacq founded his first business. With his wife, Marie-Louise Jaÿ, they created the empire that we know today and which, entirely restored to its former splendour, will be reborn in 2021 with the reopening of its department stores.
It seemed essential during the renovation and refurbishment work, from 2015 to 2020, to undertake a photographic work to constitute the memory of this extraordinary project in the heart of Paris.
Two photographers followed this renovation:
- Pierre-Olivier Deschamps who followed every month all the phases of the building site and the metamorphosis of the building.
- Vladimir Vasilev accompanied the site workers, the men and women who worked on the renewal of the Samaritaine thanks to the quality of their know-how.
The intersection of these two artists' views highlights all the work accomplished during these five years of work so that today's visitor can admire the rebirth of one of the most beautiful Parisian department stores.
Did you know...?
Key figures:
- 20,000 sq m of sales
- 600 brands
- 12 dining options
- 1,700 employees
- 364 days a year
Client experience
Over 150 years ago, the Cognacq-Jaÿs understood that the store had to be more than just a place to shop. It had to be a place of experiences. At the time, customers came to Samaritaine to attend reading fairs, theater plays and fashion shows.
A green department store
Samaritaine is part of a sustainable deve - lopment approach since the entire building is certified with French and international labels ensuring the highest environmental quality: HQE, BREEAM, LEED and Quali - tel. Energy consumption is reduced thanks to the use of renewable energies. On one hand, insulation and thermal comfort are guaranteed by the double or triple layers of the façade. On the other hand, the air is cooled by the geothermal energy and ice storage. In line with the city’s plan to go green, the Rivoli side of Samaritaine features a patio with trees that were specially chosen by the Japanese agency Sanaa for their har - monious aesthetic and ability to be watered.
